Quadeca - Scrapyard Review

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Quadeca’s musical journey has been unique to say the least. Years on from making impressions of other rappers on YouTube and diss tracks towards KSI, nobody could have expected the now 23-year-old to becoming one of the most sonically distinct and beloved artists in the internet music scene today. Coming fresh off the acclaimed I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You from 2022, SCRAPYARD serves as a mixtape for all of Quadeca’s favourite songs which “didn’t have a home” in his album discography.

The result is yet another incredibly impressive collection of self-produced songs that are sure to hold fans over until his next album.

The mixtape opens with one of several previously released tracks “DUSTCUTTER”. This track carries the production qualities that made up the soundscape of I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You as well as the layered melodies of pain filled vocals and it is still a potent combination. The vaguer lyrical content compared to the songs which made up the very specific narrative of the previous record turns this into an easily relatable song about feelings of betrayal and resentment towards another.

“A LA CARTE” is a moody pop rap track aided by a standout feature from brakence, showcasing his knack for addictive melodies and Quadeca’s capability of writing an instantly learnable hook. The only other track that has a feature is “TEXAS BLUE”, on which Kevin Abstract appears to deliver a what sounds like a marriage of Quadeca’s and his former group Brockhampton’s vocal and production styles which results in one of the standout tracks on the project. The way this track continues to gradually swell and build across its five minute twenty-three second duration with its joyous keys and repeated notions of “I’ll be honest” and “I’ll be here” creating one of the most optimistic sounding tracks in Quadeca’s recent discography.

“WAY TOO MANY FRIENDS”, also takes sonic inspiration from Brockhampton, the keys on here are deeper than the ones on the “TEXAS BLUE” which as opposed to the optimism on that track give more of a smug feeling here. Coupled with a simple, chant like hook, this short track is a memorable moment on the project even if it’s one of the least ambitious.

Naturally with this project not being committed to themes of a specific narrative, Quadeca gets to explore much more common experiences than he did on the previous record. “PRETTY PRIVLEGE” delves into his relationship with body image, questioning why someone would find him pretty repeatedly and accusing the one giving him the compliment of lying. The track explodes into one of his signature breakdowns for the last forty seconds in a moment reminiscent of the end of tracks like “fantasyworld” and “Sisyphus” in what is one of the most emotionally resonant moments on SCRAPYARD.

The track “EASIER” is an uncharacteristically restrained track for Quadeca, a simple acoustic guitar led track about a confusing desire which is elevated by subtle hints of Quadeca’s signature ghostly harmonies. “GUIDE DOG” also puts the acoustic guitar front and centre and is perhaps one of the most typical singer/songwriter type songs that Quadeca has put out. This is my favourite lyrical moment on the project, with lines such as “If I could I would trade you my eyes, because you should see you with the clearness of mine” show the extent to which Quadeca has his heart on his sleeve on this track, which wouldn’t feel too out of place on a Bright Eyes album.

“GUESS WHO”, “EVEN IF I TRIED” and “I MAKE IT LOOK EFFORTLESS” aren’t tracks intended to be taken as seriously but are not without merit. “EVEN IF I TRIED” boasts a mean beat switch with a sinister tone that is indicative of Quadeca’s only improving confidence both on and behind the microphone.

This is further emphasised on “I MAKE IT LOOK EFFORTLESS" and “GUESS WHO” which hold some of the most satisfying vocal deliveries from the American, using autotune brilliantly to make what could’ve been an instant skip into a minute of one of Quadeca’s most playful melodic rapping performances. There’s something powerful about “GUESS WHO” considering how candid Quadeca has been about the mental toll that I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You took on him. Ending this track repeatedly affirming his own achievements and self-belief is a well-deserved moment of self-congratulation and sticking it to the doubters.

“U DON’T KNOW ME LIKE THAT” was my personal out of the previously released tracks for this project. The higher pitch vocals reflect how childish this person made Quadeca feel with lines also hinting at this feeling of childishness - “tried to stomp around in the hall”. What makes this track stand out to me is the chorus, which in my opinion is Quadeca’s best ever. This track has elements of hyperpop in its production which really punctuate the playful nature of the song.

“UNDER MY SKIN” is the song that most sounds like a B-Side to the previous record here, carrying the ghostly tone from the previous but not executing it quite as well as the tracks that made the album did in my opinion. “BEING YOURSELF” follows this in similar fashion, however its muddy instrumental builds and breaks in unique ways compared to the previous album unlike “UNDER MY SKIN”, especially in the closing seconds of the track, where the break into a fast paced instrumental and end on a singular electric guitar strum create the backdrop for a more frantic and chopped up version of the now staple vocal harmonies that are so important to Quadeca’s sound.

“U TRIED THAT THING WHERE UR HUMAN” initially came off as the track that felt most like a demo on the project to me, but its slow and brooding demeanour makes for a captivating reflection from Quadeca on mortality and humanity in which what is undoubtedly the most devastating cut on the project, with Quadeca eerily repeating that “I’m gonna be something else” as a reaction to someone’s death.

Any concerns to do with whether Quadeca will be able to follow up I Didn’t Mean to Haunt You with his next album are put to rest with this mixtape. SCRAPYARD is just as much a showcase for Quadeca’s signature sound as it is a chance for him to show off his versatility, resulting in a project that more than stands on its own from its beloved predecessor. Just 23, touring North America and getting collaborations with some of the most influential characters in the industry, it seems like the sky is the limit for Quadeca.

SCRAPYARD is available to stream on all platforms